Citizenship by investment schemes are very popular and important to families. A lot of confusion exists who can be included in family applications. We get a lot of client inquiries asking for eligibility of family dependents applying for Citizenship by investment programs. Family eligibility is the key to understanding the workings of CBI programs, when it comes to family inclusion. if you exceed the age limit, you will need to make a separate investment application.
In general, it is not possible to include adult children above 30 years of age and also parents below 55 years of age. Siblings may or may not be accepted for some countries provided they are unmarried and no children. It is worth mentioning St Lucia accepts mentally or physically challenged children of ANY age imposes no age restrictions.
Quick Compare
We have compiled the conditions for adding dependants to CBI programs in one place so that you easily compare. We show you brief comparison country by country below.
CBI | Spouse | Children (Age) | Siblings | Parents | Grandparent |
St.Kitts & Nevis (SKN) | Yes | Below 25 | no | 55+ | no |
St.Lucia | Yes | Below 30 | Under 18 | 55+ | 55+ |
Dominica | Yes | Below 30 | no | 65+ | 65+ |
Antigua & Barbuda | Yes | Below 30 | Unmarried ~ | 55+ | 55+ |
Grenada | Yes | Below 30 | 18+ Unmarried ~ | No age limit | No age limit |
Vanuatu | Yes | Below 30 | no | yes | yes |
Malta | Yes + | Below 29 | no | 55+ | 55+ |
Turkey | Yes | Below 18 | no | no | no |
North Macedonia | Yes* | Below 18* | no | no | no |
* After main applicant, + Same sex accepted, ~ Siblings must be Unmarried and childless
St.Lucia
- A spouse of the applicant;
- A child of the applicant or of his or her spouse who is twenty-one years of age or below;
- A child of the applicant or of his or her spouse who is no more than thirty years of age and who is fully supported by the applicant;
- A child of the applicant or of his or her spouse, of any age, who is physically or mentally challenged and who is fully supported by the applicant;
- A parent of the applicant or of his or her spouse who is above fifty-five years of age and who is fully supported by the applicant;
- A parent of any age who is physically or mentally challenged and who is fully supported by the applicant;
- An unmarried sister or brother (sibling) of the applicant who is below eighteen years of age and who has received the consent of his or her parent or guardian to make an application for citizenship by investment.
St.Kitts Nevis
New changes apply from July 2023. The minimum age requirement for the main applicant is 18 years of age. Permitted dependents may be of any age. Children can be adopted or biological.
- A spouse of the main applicant
- a child aged under eighteen years old;
- a child aged between eighteen and twenty-five years of age who is in full time attendance at a recognised secondary or tertiary level institution of learning and fully supported by the main applicant;
- a child aged eighteen years or older and physically or mentally challenged; or
- a parent of the main applicant, or of his or her spouse, aged sixty-five years or older living with and fully supported by the main applicant;
Note: Siblings and Grandparents are not eligible.
Dominica
- a spouse of the main applicant.
- a child under eighteen years of age of the main applicant or the spouse of the main applicant.
- a child of the main applicant or the spouse of the main applicant between eighteen and thirty years who is in attendance at a recognised institution of higher learning and substantially supported by the main applicant or the spouse of the main applicant.
- an unmarried daughter of the main applicant or the spouse of the main applicant who is under twenty-five years of age and is living with and fully supported by the main applicant or the spouse of the main applicant.
- a child of the main applicant or the spouse of the main applicant who is eighteen years of age or older and physically or mentally challenged and who is substantially supported by the main applicant or the spouse of the main applicant.
- Parents or grandparents of the main applicant or the spouse of the main applicant above the age of sixty-five years who are substantially supported by the main applicant or the spouse of the main applicant.
Please note:
- A ‘child’ means a biological or legally adopted child
- By “eighteen (18) to thirty (30) years” it is intended that a child who is 30 can be included in an application, but not a child who has turned 31
Grenada
The following dependants can be added to one single family application as follows:
- Spouse
- Biological or adopted children of the main applicant or spouse under the age of 30.
- Biological or adopted children of the main applicant or spouse of any age, who are Physically, or mentally disabled.
- Parents or grandparents of the main applicant or spouse of any age.
- Biological or adopted siblings of the main applicant or spouse, who are 18 years or older, without child and unmarried (single).
Antigua & Barbuda
- A spouse of the main applicant;
- A child of the main applicant or his or her spouse who is 0-30 years of age and is financially dependent on the principal applicant;
- A child of the main applicant or of his/her spouse who is 18 years or but who is physically or mentally handicapped and who is living with and is fully supported by the main applicant;
- A parent or grandparent of the main applicant, or his or her spouse, who is 55 years of age or older and who is financially dependent on the principal applicant;
- A sibling of the main applicant, or of his or her spouse, if unmarried;
Post Addition
- A future spouse of the main applicant. (A fee of $50,000 is payable upon application);
- A future spouse of dependent children where the dependent child is financially dependent on the main applicant; and
- A future child of a dependent child. (A fee of US$10,000 is to be payable for children under 6 years of age and US$20,000 for children 6-17 years of age).
For the purposes of the Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship by Investment Programme ‘child’ means a biological or legally adopted child of the main applicant, or of the spouse of the main applicant.
Vanuatu
- Main applicant must be at least 18 years old,.
- Spouse
Children dependents under the age of 18 and below age of 30.
- Parents or Grandparents.
Note: Siblings cannot apply
Turkey
- Spouse or partner.
- Children under the age of 18.
Note: Turkish law does not allow parents, siblings or grandparents to apply under family application.
Malta
Eligible dependents are spouse, children, parents, and grandparents, under certain conditions.
- Spouse (same sex recognized)
- Dependent children below 27 (unmarried natural, adopted or step children) are eligible.
- Parents and grandparents above 55 are eligible.
North Macedonia
Spouse and Dependent children under 18 can apply for citizenship only after main investor has received citizenship;